So Good They Named It Twice
by kathryn ashworth
Summary: Miranda and Gary go on hollibobs
1. Chapter 1

It was the first Christmas in our house, we decided to spend it alone, this lasted all of 10 seconds after mum found out. So we had a mini Christmas just for ourselves when we gave each other our big presents. I bought Gary a new set of knives, his present to me was a reassuringly large, though I was rather disappointed when I opened it.

"A suitcase?"  
"It's not the suitcase per se, open it."  
There were plane tickets to New York. So once I have survived Christmas have that to get excited about.

Well I'm glad that I checked my passport, it had expired a couple of months before, that would be embarrassing getting to the airport and then not being able to go. The government clearly wants to make it impossible for people to leave the country, by making it so hard to get a passport. Although there was an added complication of trying to find the one day of the year that my hair looks half decent. I understand that we need to prove who we are, but having to have people who I've known for more than 2 years who I'm not related to confirm I am who I say I am is just too much effort.

Hello from Heathrow, so after the usual mad dash to the airport, the plane was delayed by an hour, so have spent the time wandering around the shops. I don't know why but I find duty free shops oddly fascinating, I can spend hours wandering round them. It seems Gary can take 20 minutes and dragged me off for a coffee. When we eventually got to the gate, which was naturally at far end of the terminal, there was a rather drunk man who we all hoped wouldn't be say near us. As we are about to board I shall bid you farewell.


	2. Chapter 2

How you doin'? Sorry, couldn't resist. Welcome to New York, very exciting, I know. Well as you can probably guess the rather drunk man was sat next to us, but for the first time ever I was comfortable in an economy class seat as we were in the front row. Thankfully the drunk man fell asleep almost as soon as he was in his seat which was a relief for everyone, until he began to snore, one of the stewardesses looked like she was seriously considering smothering him with a blanket.

As we were delayed, we had missed our landing slot so had to circle the city for a while, normally this is rather dull, but being New York the view was spectacular. I was rather disappointed that it was raining. Holidays always seem to be more fun when you arrive and it's sunny and hot. The rain did cause a slight problem when we went outside get a taxi to the hotel I slipped over, and landed rather painfully on Gary's suitcase. Naturally someone from the airport came over to help me up. I was rather puzzled when they took me off to a side room and presented me with a waiver, if I signed to say I wouldn't sue I would get $3000, I think I'm going to like this country, you get paid if you fall over.

It was a rather strange drive into the city, it was like driving through a film set. There was an odd moment when we got to the hotel though. Gary pointed at the hotel sign 'The Perez Lodge' I felt Gary leaning in behind me.  
"It's the closest I could find to The Hamilton Lodge, wanted to make you feel at home, literally."  
"This is why I love you, you're so thoughtful, now can we go inside, as I am soaked and really want to go to bed."  
The name should have been somewhat of a giveaway, but when we tried to check in it turned out we were the only people in the whole hotel who didn't speak Spanish.

I knew it was early when I woke up the next morning, it always is on first days. Gary was sat up next to me, just staring into space.  
"Morning."  
"What time is it?" He looked at his phone.  
"Half 3, I've only been up for about 10 minutes, I was going to watch the news but didn't want to wake you."  
I know why Americans are perceived as knowing nothing about the world, it's because their news channels are awful. Endless orange people insulting people who don't share their political views.

Breakfast was rather amusing, we were somewhat of a novelty to the owner, but he seemed nice enough. Our conversation (with the aid of google translate) did go a bit wonky when he asked why we had chosen his hotel. Gary explained that it was an in joke for his girlfriend and pointed to me, unfortunately there was a mistranslation and Gary said I was his mistress. The worrying thing is the guy didn't seem fazed by it. Thankfully the waiter came over and cleared up the confusion. It was a bad start to a bad day, the weather had improved somewhat so we decided to take the ferry over to the Statue Of Liberty, though it stopped raining the water was choppy and Gary spent most of the trip a distinct shade of green, and when we got there we couldn't move without ruining people's photos, so decided not to climb to the top.

Once we were back on dry land, we went for a coffee and to consult the guidebook for somewhere to go for lunch, we managed to look even more touristy a couple of days later. We were caught in a sudden shower and the nearest stand only had I Heart NY ones, lovely, I do feel sorry for any locals who get caught in the rain.

Let's just say lunch didn't quite go to plan, as he had been there once Gary was confident he knew the subway system, this confidence was misplaced. We were rather suspicious when we got out of the train and the station was suspiciously shabby. We went outside to see man arguing with a policeman and waving a gun about, so we turned round and went back to somewhere we sort of knew, the last sound we heard was a gunshot. I don't we didn't know who was shot and frankly we weren't to keen to find out.

We spent the next couple of days wandering around the city, it still felt like a film set though. When it got to our last night we decided to walk through Times Square, we'd only been there during the day, but at night the whole thing was so much brighter, more exciting.  
"All these lights are so pretty."  
"Not as pretty as you."  
"What do you want?"  
"Why would you think I want something?"  
"Because, although I never believe you, no matter how many times you reassure me, it's usually followed by you wanting something."  
"I've been rumbled, yes there is something I want. Miranda, will you marry me?"  
I was stunned into silence for a second.  
"Yes, yes, of course Gary, yes."  
"If only it wasn't our last night, I would have whisked you off to Vegas."  
"That sounds lovely, but pretty soon after I would be on the news as the grieving widow."  
"Why?"  
"Because mum would have killed you for denying her use of the wedding chart?"  
"There's a wedding chart?"  
"We're you there at Christmas? I don't think she knows I know about it."  
"So we don't even get to plan our wedding?"  
"Nope, but I think we should go to that place we went for lunch yesterday to celebrate."  
"You want to go for a burger to celebrate our engagement?"  
"Yes, I saw the ominous word diet on the Chart. I'm going to make the most of food while I can."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Have never been to America and not quite sure where in NY the hotel is , so the taxi is either a total rip off, or the bargain of the century

We had the same cab driver to the airport as we did when we arrived.  
"It's you guys again, did you have a good holiday."  
"Yes we did thanks."  
Once we had got the bags in the boot and got ourselves comfortable, I started chatting to the driver, as Gary had decided that it was his turn to stare out of the window

*Flashback*  
"So, have you been to New York before?"  
"I have, she hasn't."  
"Ma'am welcome to the best city, in the best country in the world." I was too busy looking out of the window to hear what he said. "So how long have you been together?"  
"Almost a year, but we've known each other since college."  
"Any wedding bells in the air?"  
"That's what her mother wants, but we're happy as we are." Gary lowered his voice at this point as he hadn't noticed I wasn't listening. "If I was to propose where would you recommend?"  
"It depends how public you want it to be, at the top of the Empire State Building is a classic, or Times Square, especially when it's early evening with all the lights."  
"Thank you, I'll bear them in mind."  
*End Flashback*

As we were chatting I realised I was absentmindedly playing with my engagement ring (we'd bought one that morning).  
"He did it then?"  
"Sorry?"  
"Your other half, sorry I don't know his name."  
"Gary."  
"Gary, he proposed then?"  
"Sorry?" I was in danger of sounding like a stuck record.  
"He asked me to recommend somewhere to ask you."  
"Ah, yes, last night in Times Square."  
"I wish you both a very happy marriage, you seem like a lovely couple."  
"Are you fishing for a bigger tip?"  
"No, it's true. That'll be $30."

Amazingly the plane landed on time, our bags were the first on the carousel, and there was a very short queue at passport control. Yet mum wasn't waiting for us. I was rather worried as she is usually over punctual, but thought there was probably traffic and she wouldn't be too long. After quarter of an hour I started to worry and when she didn't I answer her phone I got even more worried. To take my mind off it, Gary insisted on taking me for a cup of tea, and we decided if she wasn't here within the hour we'd get the train home instead.

Well she finally arrived just as we had finished our teas and were about to head the station.  
"Sorry darling, I went to the wrong what I call terminal."  
"It is a terminal, sorry not the time. How can you have gone to the wrong one."  
"That road is very complicated. It is very easy to take a wrong turning. Now come on, let's get you two home."  
We had decided to wait to tell her about our engagement, crashing would not be a fun end to the holiday.

As usual she invited herself in for a cup of tea. Gary managed to avoid the topic of what we did, until we were all safely sat with our cups of tea.  
"So did you do anything special?"  
"No, just the usual touristy things, but I will say the Americans do know what a proper portion of food is."  
"The last thing you need is to put any more weight on, Anyway I thought you were on a diet."  
"I was, it was temporarily suspended for the holiday."  
"Who's going to want to marry you when you are the size of a house."  
"Well we had planned to tell you when you hadn't just insulted me, but there is someone who wants to marry me, Gary proposed last night."  
"Really?"  
"Yes." Gary said, hearing his voice was rather a shock as he had sensibly decided to stay out of the conversation.  
"Well in that case, I'm going to have your father get the wedding chart out of the attic. Such fun."

The End.


End file.
